Five Civilized Tribes Museum - Da-Co-Tah Indian Club

Da-Co-Tah Indian Club

The goal of the Da-Co-Tah Indian Club was stated in their Bylaws. “The object of this organization shall be to bring members of the various Indian tribes into closer communications for acquaintance, mutual helpfulness, inter-tribal social activities, and to promote awareness of tribal history and accomplishments throughout the greater community area. The club shall be non-sectarian and non-political.” Those founding women, all of Native American ancestry, chose the name “Da-co-tah” for their club, taken from the Sioux language, because it means “Circle of Friends.” They met the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Red and gold were chosen for the club colors, being they were the symbols of friendship, of steadfast ideals and of ambition for the future. In the fall of 1930, the Da-Co-Tah Indian Club was federated.

To those pioneer Indians whose courage and fortitude, perseverance and achievement sustained them through travail and disaster and earned for them the name of The Five Civilized Tribes, and who laid the foundation for the State of Oklahoma. - These words by Grant Foreman were printed at the beginning of a letter postmarked April 15, 1966, which was sent out in preparation for the opening of the Five Civilized Tribes Museum.

They participated in many charitable acts, such as donating canned foods, clothes and shoes to the Murrow Orphanage, as well as making sure they were taken to barber shops for their haircuts. They also took the children to attend the Free State Fair once a year and to go see movies, as well as many other activities. The Club raised funds to provide charitable services to poor Indian families, and to make donations to the Salvation Army. They also helped raise money for the Drought Relief Fund and the Unemployment Fund.